Week #79

Hello all!!! Where to even begin...

 

I want to talk all about our week but my mind is blank as I'm sitting here. Honestly, I just need to say thank you. From the absolute bottom of my heart. THANK YOU to everyone that has made my mission possible. Looking back, I never imagined I would be at this point. As we all know, Sister Brian had a suuuuper rocky start to her mission. But with the fasting and prayers and love and support of so many people, I'm here today. And I will be forever grateful. My life has been sooo changed since I served a mission and I don't want to go back to who I was before. I've seen a need for God in my life, I honestly have needed Him every single hour of this mission. I've also seen an absolute need for Jesus Christ. Repentance is so real! I've come to realize it's not all about big sins. Repentance means change. I like to think that I've repented a lot on my mission. I've changed a lot. (I hope anyway haha...) The atonement is real. I know it, I've felt it! God cares, he loves us, and wants us to be happy. All of us! I've gained such a strong testimony of prayer. I know God listens to every single one! It isn't always answered right away (I'm still working on my testimony of his timing ha...) but I know he hears them!

The time out here has gone so fast... I can't believe it! It breaks my heart to be leaving these amazing people who I have grown to love sooo much. It makes me so sad to think that these are my last few days putting on my missionary name tag. I have felt so honored to be a representative of my Savior Jesus Christ. The gospel is true! I love it so much!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE. I wouldn't be here without you! I can't wait to see you all soon! I've missed you all soooo much. I'm so blessed!

 

LOVE for the last time and (hopefully) Returning with awesome,

 

SISTA BRIAN

Week #77

Hi all! These week was so weird. I don't know why. It just was. Probably because I gave my DEPARTING TESTIMONY at our zone conference this week. Whatthewhat!? Uh. I don't even remember what I said. But now everyone dwells on the fact that I'm leaving. I've got time people! 3 glorious weeks! Anyway, that was weird.

But the zone conference was good? Elder Falabella from the 70 came to speak to us. He talked about families the whole time. So much focus on marriage and eternal families. But it really was soo wonderful. I love this gospel and I love that it is for families! Well, everyone, but especially families.

Speaking of families, I got a name to take to the temple next week! From our own family!! I am so excited! We do family history every week and the awesome consultant in our ward is a master at family history. She helped me do some work and now I'm taking the name to the temple next week! I can't wait!

What else.... I can never remember anything. Oh, we had interviews with President and Sister Choi this past week. They are the greatest. I can't say that I've always liked them, because I haven't, but I really love them. Truly I do. They have changed my life and I will always be so grateful. During my whole entire interview, President Choi talked about marriage. Heck, I can't escape it! Haha it's quite comical actually.

Mmmm... We had theeee coolest nerf gun war this week. We were visiting a lady in our ward and her son and at the end of the lesson we had the most intense nerf gun war. It was probably the best way to end a Sunday. The church is true!

LOVE YOU!!!

 

SISTA BRIAN

Week #76

Hi everyone!!! How's it?!

Things are going great here! Just truckin along! We had our new missionary training this week. It was awesome. It's funny remembering the first week I was in the mission. It was a loooong time ago. And I definitely was not as prepared as these missionaries. Ha! Ah well. Hopefully I've progressed a little...

This week we've done a lot of good finding, lots of Hindu people, and lots of singing. We love singing! So funny story about that... So this lady one night wouldn't open her door but my companion asked if we could sing her a song anyway so we started singing to her door. At the end of our song we heard someone doing dishes. We all looked at each other and busted up laughing. We totally sang to an empty door. Hahahaha it was sooo funny! The things we do as missionaries... As far as investigators go... Debbie is fine. She is super hung up on her surgeries and the fact that she got bit by a dog in the face. Which is now turning into a law suit. Awesome. So the gospel isn't her top priority right now. Sigh. Hopefully that will change... Cross your fingers! Or pray. Both work.

We got a chance to do some Family History this week. That was awesome! The spirit of Elijah is real! We only did it for a little bit but I definitely felt the power of it! Our ancestors need us! I found some people that I can potentially take to the temple in December so hopefully that will work out.

What else.... This week was SO stinkin cold. Like really. Man, it's been cold here. The fuzzy socks and tights have come out. A nice member actually bought us gloves and golf balls so we can knock people's doors with that. Holy Hannah it makes a difference. I'm so happy! Knocking with golf balls = happy knuckles.

 

Anyway, enough rambling. I love you all! Remember to be grateful! We are so lucky to have the gospel!

 

LOVE,

SISTA BRIAN

New companions--Sister Beenfield and Sister Clayson

Week #75

Hi all!!

This week was a good one! I am trying to think of things that happened since last Wednesday... Which was when I emailed last haha... Umm. We moved apartments! We spent a full day doing that, we have a clean new apartment now! We are in the same complex just a different building but we are still not fully situated. 3 girls with a lot of stuff. It's a challenge.

My new sisters are the greatest! They really are an answer to many prayers. I can't express my gratitude for them!! It makes me a little teary thinking about it. Ah, i'm such a sap. But I just love them and am so proud! I was nowhere close to where they are when I first came out. They are teaching like pros already.

So as far as the work goes, Debbie, our fab investigator, prayed about baptism and got an answer from God that she was "supposed to be baptized immediately!" Haha woooot! Best call we've ever gotten. But of course, Satan sucks and kicked his minions into gear. She got attacked by a dog and now needs plastic surgery on her face. really? REALLY!? So dumb. But hopefully things will continue to go well. We are really searching for the elect here in K1! And they will come!

All is well. I am happy. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary. The church is true! I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for helping me every single step of my mission. I am forever indebted to Him! Be happy!

 

Love,

SISTA BRIAN

Week #74

HELLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO everyone!

It's been a minute. But here I am. Starting my last 6 weeks. Whaaaatthewhat!? Kinda freakin out. It's fine. Totally bittersweet.

So I don't even remember this past week to be honest... Kind of a blur. We had lots of members come out with us but it was definitely a slower week. Plus, I don't have my planner so I can't even tell you what happened. Then, transfers!!!! I totally had a feeling that something was changing but I had no idea what. SOOOOO Sister Salabao got transferred! Then... The next morning they called me to be a trainer!! HOLY.... I was like, are you sure?? Yikes. Ahh well. God I guess knows what is best....

So, we get to the transfer meeting and I find out... I'm training 2 sisters!!!! OH MY HECK. So one, Sister Clayson is from Spanish Fork, UT and is a 2nd grade teacher. She has been out 6 weeks so I'm finishing her training and the other, Sister Beenfield is from Riverdale, UT and is straight from the MTC. Ha! I really don't know whose idea this was....

BUT it's been soooo good! Man, I never thought I would be a trainer but it's so so good for me. Training I really feel like I need to be on my A game all the time. I mean, I probably should be anyway.... but now my every move is being watched! Oh, the pressure. This past 2 days have been very prayer-filled. These sisters are soo wonderful though. I'm learning more than they are!

Well, there is my life! That's all I got. Or atleast all I can remember. These next 6 weeks are going to be awesome! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH.

SISTA BRIAN

Goodbye Sister Salabao!

Week #73

Hello all!!

 

This week was a good one! I'm super glad it's over though. Ha that's bad. Anyway, we had what our ward called "Nephi's Challenge". It was basically ward members going out with us all week long and lots of activities and things for people to invite their friends too. I can't remember if I told you about this already... It was really fun but really stressful and a lot of work for the missionaries. We went on splits a couple of different times this week and took members out knocking doors in the rain. Haha! We felt really bad but we gave them a real-life missionary experience. Good times. At the end of the week, our ward had a huge fall festival/trunk-or-treat thing. It was really cute! Lots of cute kids and cute costumes. We had quite a few less-active and nonmembers there. Success! Sister Salabao and I couldn't dress up so we switched name tags. Clever, I know :)

 

We met this cool guy this week, his name is Beau! We tracted into him, taught him 2 lessons, and he came to church all in the same week! He is reading the Book of Mormon and good things are happening.

 

What else... We got lots of marital advice this week? I'm not sure why! Sooo many people just went on to tell us what we should look for in husbands. Haha kinda funny. Oh, another hilarious story. We visited this darling old lady in our ward and... she lost her teeth. Haha so we prayed that she would find them. we're missionaries. we pray for everything. Then, we left her house, went to our next appointment and she called us when we were there and was so excited because she found her teeth!! Haha most hilarious thing ever. God really does answer prayers!

 

So next week is transfers... So I won't be emailing until Tuesday. Then I begin my last 6 weeks. It's really, really, really weird. Anyway, LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Week #72

Hello dearest friends and family!

 

This week was preeeetty good! We had zone sports day on Monday. I was sore until probably yesterday. It was ridiculous. I also went on an exchange this week and I got to go back to Seattle!! It was the best thing ever. I miss that place so much! I went to the ghetto of Seattle and felt totally at home. Ahhh... One more chance to go back! I'm prayin for it.

Today starts the kick off for our ward's "Nephi's Challenge". So it basically is a whole week of straight missionary work! We are going to be on splits or out with members all day every day for the next week. Then at night we have fellowshipping parties for members and their friends or the people we find. It's super stressful because we actually have to find things to do with our members.... But we know Heavenly Father will provide.

So the weather here is still beautiful and it is a miracle!! It will rain for one day and we keep saying ohhhh the rain is coming! But then the next day it will be 70 degrees and sunny. Like it is now. I call it a tender mercy from Heavenly Father and I am NOT complaining!

Sorry this is a lame email... I don't have a ton to report!! But I did find out that I get to go to the temple one more time before I come home!! December 2nd is the day! Woooooo!!

 

Ummm... you're all awesome! Love you all soooo much!!!

 

SISTER BRIAN :)

Week #70

Hi all!!!

Oh man, first things first. Was conference INCREDIBLE or what!?!??! Ahhh. It's like Christmas for a missionary. Honestly, I got a little teary eyed when it ended though! I didn't want it to end! I just learned so much! I feel like all of Saturday was like, whose side are you on?? And then Sunday was like, you should be on the prophet's side. Ha I thought it was great! I really just came to the conclusion that are prophet really is a prophet of God. Truly. We are soo lucky!! I'm with mom, one of my most favorite talks was Elder Klebingat! I thought it was fantastic!!! I have so much more to say but I don't even know what...

This week we got to experience bikes for a day! Some elders needed to borrow our car so rather than walk we took their bikes. It was theee greatest ever! Oh my gosh I want/need a bike. So don't worry, I asked our president.

This week we found a couple new people to work with and it's been awesome! the work is picking up here! Aaaaand we got to watch Meet the Mormons!!! Our President won't let us see it in theaters but we got to watch it in the Stake Center. I hope you all are buying tickets and are going to see it. I loved it! and of course I totally cried. It was so good! It just made me feel really good about being a member of the church with thousands of other amazing people. The church is definitely true.

I love you all!!!!

 

SISTER BRIAN

Week #69

Sorry it's soooo short! I have no time! Cause I'm super lame. You'd think by this point in my mission I'd be good at budgeting my time. But I'm not. Sorry. It was a great week! Lots of member work! Which we love. I love the rain! I love the chilly weather. I LOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEEDDDD with all my heart the Relief Society Broadcast! Mom, you're right. President Uchtdorf is such a feel good speaker! I love it. It was a good week. heres to another one! I LOVE YOU! 

Week #68

Sorry friends... This is going to be a super short email! I was sick basically all week. I had a nasty cold/flu thing. The head and body aches and fever and sore throat and alllll of that good stuff. So after a trip to the doctor, we spent the better part of the week inside. Man, by the end of the week I was dying to get outside! It's funny how in missionary work if you don't go outside and work you have nothing to do! Ha. So now I am more appreciative than ever of being able to go outside and work. I did appreciate the extra sleep though :)

 

Jo and Cory came to church this week! Send extra prayers their way. We are doing our very best to help them progress. Some people just take longer than others!

 

I love you all. I LOVE this gospel. I LOVE my family. I am sooo blessed. Honestly, God is wayyy too good to me. Be grateful! It makes everything better.

 

LOVE,

SISTA BRIAN

Week #67

Hello all!

This week was a good one! Too bad I can't even remember what happened... It went really fast! It seems like I was just emailing you. Ummm, lots of lessons, lots of knocking doors. Lots of heat!! it was sooo hot this weekend. I love it though, I am not complaining! We don't know what happened to Cory... But we found the cutest new investigator, Yen from China. So sweet. Umm. Yeah. Sorry, I got nothing else. haha miracles abounding in K1 I just can't recall them right now! Sorry...

Thank you ALL so much for everything!! Especially Sun and Jod for the aweeesome package!! I was definitely in need of some gummy colas. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! :)

Transfers are next week... I can't believe it! It went so fast! Well, I guess this was a weird transfer hahaha but that's okay. So I won't be emailing until Tuesday. If you have anything to send, please send it to the mission office :)

Love you!!!

SISTER BRIAN

Driving by some random guy's yard in Seattle!

Week #66

Hello all!!

This week was good! Our numbers are finally starting to go up, which is nice. It's obviously not all about that (I've learned that the hard way) but it makes me feel like we're actually doing something! We've been doing sooooo much finding! Like, sometimes it's funny how much we do. It's starting to be fruitful. Starting! Wooo! We had one of our investigators, Cory, at church this week! He is cool. Very laid back and looooooves longboarding. It's hilarious. He is ready to be baptized and we are planning on giving him a date this week. Pray for his baptism this month!

Everything is dandy here! It's getting darker early now, which I don't love....But it's inevitable. It's starting to get a little rainy now too. Bleh. It hit me yesterday that conference is just around the corner though! I am SOOO excited! We are SO lucky to be able to hear from a living prophet and apostles! A prophet! We should feel like the luckiest people ever. I'm starting to prepare now and I hope you are too! It's one of the greatest blessings that we as members of the church have. I know it's true!

I love you all sooo much and miss you even more!

Have a great week and I hope you are all studying preach my gospel!!

LOVE,

SISTER BRIAN

With Sister Salabao from the Phillipines.

Week #65

Hola, hola family!

Our first full week in K1 and it was a good one! We are doing a ton, a ton of finding. We don't really have anyone to work with right now. We haven't been able to reestablish contact with the investigators that the elders had so hopefully we will be able to eventually! They were both planning on being baptized.

I had a really inspiring experience this week though... We were walking down the street and a lady had already passed us and we didn't see her but my companion eventually did and ran after her and started to talk to her. I came up and introduced myself and she started to cry. I felt so bad! Long story short, she doesn't know if she believes in God but we were able to pray with her and teach her a little. It was really sad because she didn't accept our invitation but I know that she will some day! I was really bummed about that for a good chunk of the week... someone so prepared but who wouldn't accept! Then on Sunday, we had an awesome lesson about missionary work. The teacher (one of the coolest dudes ever) told us that it takes 7 good, positive contacts for someone to accept the invitation to learn about the gospel and 32 good, positive contacts for someone to be baptized. He said we need to put aside all of our fears and the thoughts of rejection and be happy to be the Lord's number 4. Someone has to do it, so why shouldn't it be us? It opened my eyes and made me feel a lot better about our every day work. I'm happy to be a number 4.

Love you all! THANK YOU FOR BEING AWESOME!

Sister Brian

Week #64

This week was...... different. Wednesday night Sister Nudd and I were at our Ward Coordination meeting and we get a call from the APs. Never a good sign.... They said "Hello sisters. You're being emergency transferred. Be packed and at the mission office tomorrow at 8 am." Uhh whatta what!? We were freaking out! Everything was happy and hunky dory and then BAM. Sooo the rest of the week has kind of been a blur. There were a few different sets of missionaries that got all changed up. So, I'm still in Kirkland but just in a different ward. K1 now! It's an awesome ward. My new companion is Sister Salabao from the Philippines! Back to my foreign companions hahaha. This time I'll be learning Tagalog!

Sooo other than trying to figure out our way around and cleaning our naaaaaasty elder apartment (SO GROSS. I couldn't even sleep the first night it was soo dirty), we're doing well! Adjusting!

We did have a mission fireside last night though and I got to see Nyaagon! One of Elizabeth's kids from Thornton Creek. She was just baptized a couple weeks ago! And her son Boum is going to be baptized in a few weeks. I am soooo happy to see their whole family being baptized! Amazing stuff!!

Well, I love you all! Have an awesome week!

Week #63

Hello all!!!

 

Well, this week was exciting. Sort of... We spent time in the Urgent care. That was fun. and then the rest of the week was spent inside! Almost. Sister Nudd had really bad earaches and I've never had an ear infection and she hadn't either so we called the mission nurse (who, by the way, is older than dirt and hasn't practiced nursing for years. but she is the best! and we looooove her) and she said "take some aspirin!" She says that for everything... It still didn't get better and so the mission nurse said it might be serious so we went to urgent care. Long story short, she was on a medication for too long and caused everything in her head to swell. Her prescription was to stop taking the medication and lay low for a couple of days. so we did!

 

I read a lot of scriptures, prayed a lot, and read a lot more scriptures. The thing I came to the conclusion of this week is that God is real and Jesus is the Christ! I already knew this stuff but it was a sweet, happy, peaceful moment. I've been praying really hard to know what to do lately and to be honest, I have not gotten an answer. I've been awfully frustrated but I just kept praying. Then, the peace came. I don't know what I'm going to do but I know that I trust God and I just keep moving forward.

the church is true! I love you all!

 

Sister Brian

Week #62

the start of a new transfer!!! Aaaaand I'm staying in Kirkland with Sister Nudd!! Blessing and a curse. There isn't much going here so we really need to work, work, work.

 

We finally got back in contact with Evandro but he is flakin out on us so we might drop him. But this week we found 3 new Brazilian families! HA! it's insane. One of them was a referral! Her name is Lourdes and we went to her house and walking in on a Seventh Day Adventist scripture "group meeting". Haha it was hilarious. We came and had no idea what to do hahaha.

 

Other than that, we're working on finding. There are miracles here in Kirkland, I know it! We just need to find them :)

 

So, I think that's it? I'm happy. I love being a missionary! It's the best. I love the gospel. I love Jesus Christ. The church is true!!

 

Sister Brian

 

Week #61

Sorry, I'm the worst... No time again. SORRY!!!! I will be better! Anyway, quick update. This week was so hard. I've never been yelled at so many times in my life. I've never had so many doors slammed in my face. It was rough but we pressed through and I'm alive. haha.

 

Evandro dropped off the face of the earth unfortunately... So hopefully he'll reappear sometime. That's about it in Kirkland.

Oh, and I hit 14 months tomorrow. Weird!? I think so!!

 

I love you guys so much! I hope you have fun in St. George! Say hi to everyone for me!

And any word on when I get released?? I'm waiting to hear back from a counselor about school. I have 2 more classes that I can take but I don't know if I can take study hall. I'll have to ask next week. I really don't know what to do or where to go from here. I'm stressing! Help?

Ah. Anway, i love you!! Thank you so much for being amazing!!!

 

fi you feel like sending more of those g2g bars please do... and crio. and shaka laka. if you'd like. Ha I haven't gotten mail I think this whole transfer. Besides the thing of letters from the ranch. which was the best. anyway, i love you! bye!

Week #60

Hello from K4!!!

This week was fun. We had a lot of opportunities for unplanned acts of service. Ah, it was the best! What else. We did a lot of tracting. Always fun. Oh, and we got a new investigator!! So this guy's name is Evandro and he is from Brazil! What a stud. He barely speaks any English but we told him we were representatives of Jesus Christ and his face lit up. We went back with some members who speak Portuguese and we taught him through a translator. Ha it was an odd experience. But then we committed him to be baptized!! On August 26!! Which is a Tuesday? They usually happen on Saturday but... Hahahaha I think I was just so concentrated on the translator, I just really don't know what happened. But Tuesday is a great day for a baptism :) He came to church on Sunday and was so happy! he just talked about how he felt so good and so happy! Yeeeahhh! Now he wants us to teach his friends!

Ever since we found Evandro we have seen sooo many Brazilians. They are awesome! Hooray for diversity.

Anyway, that was the miracle of the week!

Thank you all soo much! Love you!

On Friday nights in Kirkland there is a farmer's market with the most aaaamazing food so Sister Nudd and I went there. And ohmygosh. Best ice cream sandwich ever. My double chin is comin in nice :)

Week #59

sorry!! nothing to report this week... hahaha you've heard it all from the bruners anyway!! They are the best. haha we love them so much. anyway, you are awesome!! Let me know what the mission office said about school. sorry I have no time... it went really fast today. anyway, love you like crazy!!

Week #58

Heeeeeellllooooooooo  everyone! This week was glorious! Kirkland is rad. But super hot. I don't think I've ever been so sweaty and sticky in my whole entire life. It's been in the high 80's and it's going to be in the 90's this week. Aweeeesome.

 

So it's going to be short because we have nothing going on.... But our ward is awesome. We love them! Really we do. K4!! Hopefully we can start finding investigators to put these awesome members to use!

 

Well, that's it. Ha. Sorry!!! More next week. Love you all so much!

 

Sister Brian